Pop Music | Record Rack

In Brief

*** Etta James, "Matriarch of the Blues," Private Music. With salacious good humor and genuine emotion, the virtually indestructible R&B singer makes this collection of classics a testament to her own durability, as well as that of the material. Supported by her band's adept soul, funk and blues flavorings, the 62-year-old icon freshens up even such well-worn numbers as "Try a Little Tenderness." Yet more satisfying are her takes on such rock tunes as the Stones' "Miss You," which simmers with confessional desperation, and Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody."

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.